Protests At Health Ministry, Abdul Raheem Arrested

A protest broke out in front of the Ministry of Health.

The protesters demanded for the COVID-19 vaccine to be given out sooner, and they have also been calling out for the safety of the vaccine to be verified. Some protesters have been calling for the vaccine to be given to President Solih and other high officials of the government, first.

Meanwhile, the interim president and other leaders of the opposition Progressive Coalition were inside the Health Ministry building, requesting to speak with the Minister of Health, Ahmed "Kerafa" Naseem. They claimed to be there wishing to inform the newly-appointed Minister of Health of the "concerns being expressed by the people", particularly with relation to the safety of the vaccine and public health.

The Minister refused to meet with the delegation. Two leaders from the delegation, Abdullah Abdur Raheem; interim president of the opposition Progressive Coalition; and Ibrahim Shujau,VP of the PNC, were detained by the Maldives Police Service.

The protest regarding vaccine safety is taking place as the COVID-19 situation in the Maldives worsens. More than 100 people have been tested positive in the past 3 days, and the number of active cases in the country has surpassed 1,000. The Health Protection Agency has re-established a curfew for the Greater Male Region.

The opposition Coalition have been staging protests under various pretexts since the High Court upheld the Criminal Court verdict in the State's case against the former President Yameen Abdul Gayyoom. The opposition Coalition had rejected the High Court's ruling, and had announced that they would pursue direct action until the former president was released from incarceration.